Celebrate with SPARK!

You are cordially invited to celebrate our newly re-opened space, the great work of our dedicated staff, and to meet our new Executive Director, Dr. Krystal Redman.

Join us as we honor this new chapter at SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW! and discuss the latest and greatest of what we’ve been up to!

SPARK in 2015

When & Where
Thursday, September 3, 2015 @ 6:00PM – 8:00PM
250 Georgia Hill Ave, Suite 207C, ATL, GA 30312

RSVP Requested by Monday, August 31st!

Light refreshments and beverages will be provided!

We look forward to seeing you soon,

The SPARK Family

Kick It with SPARK! – Ice Cream Social Edition!

Ice-Cream-SocialAs the summer heat rises, come cool down with US at Kick It with SPARK! – Ice Cream Social Edition! We’ll provide yummy ice cream treats and board games, but feel free to bring some of your personal favorites.

When & Where
Thursday, July 23, 2015 @ 6PM
250 Georgia Hill Ave, Suite 207C, ATL, GA 30312

Refreshments will be provided!

RSVP on Facebook

This event is a collaboration with Georgia Equality.

Kick It With SPARK! is a monthly program for LGBTQQ youth of color (16 – 25) to have a dedicated space to socialize, build community, and find resources. It will be held every fourth Thursday of each month.

Come Kick It With SPARK!

Kick It FlyerJoin SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW for our first Kick It With SPARK! as we host a screening of Out in the Night. Directed by blair dorosh-walther, this documentary chronicles the lives of a group of Black lesbians, dubbed by the media as a “gang of Killer Lesbians,” following their arrest after a man violently threatened them and they defended themselves. “The award-winning Out in the Night examines the sensational case and the women’s uphill battle, revealing the role that race, gender identity and sexuality play in our criminal justice system.”

When & Where
Thursday, June 25, 2015 @ 6PM
250 Georgia Hill Ave, Suite 316, ATL, GA 30312

Refreshments will be provided!

RSVP on Facebook

This event is a collaboration with Georgia Equality and POV, PBS’ award-winning nonfiction film series. Visit their website at www.pbs.org/pov for more information on this film and more.

Kick It With SPARK! is a monthly program for LGBTQQ youth of color (16 – 25) to have a dedicated space to socialize, build community, and find resources. It will be held every fourth Thursday of each month.

Reproductive Justice Activists Oppose Latest Anti-Abortion Billboard Campaign Targeting Black Women in Georgia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Monica Raye Simpson, Executive Director, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective (monica@sistersong.net)

Sponsoring Organizations: SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, SisterLove, Feminist Women’s Health Center, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Planned Parenthood Southeast, Racial Justice Action Center, Georgia WAND, Kindred Collective, Southerners on New Ground, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement

May 29, 2015 – ATLANTA, GEORGIA

GA BillboardA coalition of Atlanta-based reproductive justice and reproductive health organizations – organized by SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective & Trust Black Women have joined forces to defeat Pro-Life Across America ‘s anti-choice billboard campaign targeting Black women and Black communities in Atlanta, GA. SisterSong, in collaboration with other social justice organizations will host a community town hall meeting on June 4, 2015 at their offices located at 1237 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, SW to raise community awareness, to hear the concerns from Black women in the community impacted by the billboard and to strategize grassroots solutions to prevent future visual media attacks on reproductive self-determination in our city and state in the future. The press conference will begin at 6:30pm followed by the town hall meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Activists have identified billboards located at the following intersections: Lee St. SW at White St. SW, Alison Ct. SW at Delowe Dr. and Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. SW at Pryor St. SW.

The current anti-choice billboard campaign erected in past weeks feature a large image of a young, vibrant Black child overlain with brightly colored statement, stating “Dad’s Princess,” and a reminder that an embryo has a “Heartbeat at #18 Days. The billboard at the intersection of Alison Ct. and Delowe features a white child with the messaging that an unborn child can hear their mother’s voice before they are born.

”These billboards are nothing more than a consistent attempt to instill fear and shame around making our own decisions about what is best for our bodies and families, “ commented Monica Raye Simpson, Executive Director, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.

”Reproductive justice exists when all people can fully and freely exercise autonomy over their own bodies, relationships, and families – and that this includes the basic human right to have children, not to have children, and to parent the children we have in safe and healthy environments, “ said Simpson “The current billboard messaging and placement in predominantly Black communities is an open attack on Black women’s bodily autonomy and self-determination. We know that the use of manipulative anti-abortion media that erases Black women is also a powerful way to attack Black women, to vilify those who do not carry their pregnancies to term, and to stigmatize abortion in general. We will not look the other way as they attack Black women in our city. We must also ensure these billboards do not spread to other communities of color. These billboards must go,” commented Simpson.

Cherisse Scott, Founder and CEO of SisterReach, a Memphis based Reproductive Justice organization and founding member of Trust Black Women successfully defeated Pro-Life America by getting their billboards removed from their city and stands in solidarity with Black women in Atlanta. She states, “We stand in solidarity with SisterSong against this anti-woman, pro-birth campaign targeting Black fathers. We are clear that the campaign is disingenuous and that Pro-Life Across America is not invested in the Georgia communities which it has erected these racist and inflammatory billboards. This divisive campaign only highlights the egregious motives of Prolife Across America rather than their willingness to work with communities to change the lived conditions of the people within them.”

This latest billboard campaign is the latest incarnation of an ongoing visual media strategy advanced by conservative groups to discredit and invalidate women’s human right to choose not to have a child. In SisterSong’s successful 2010 campaign against a similar billboard campaign in Atlanta, initiated by the Radiance Foundation.

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#WERUNTHIS Takeover Day at the GA Capitol!

Crossover-Day-2015-IGJoin SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW in partnership with SisterSong, SisterLove, and the Feminist Women’s Health Center on Crossover Day as we host #WERUNTHIS Community Takeover Day at the GA Capitol!

March 13th – Crossover Day – is the last chance a bill has to move from one legislative chamber to the other to have a chance at becoming law. Starting at 10:00AM EST we will gather in the GA Capitol South Rotunda for a full day of popular education teach-ins and grassroots lobbying to support proactive reproductive justice legislation that reflects our communities in Georgia for the 2015 Legislative Session!

For more information, please contact Taliba Obuya at taliba@sparkrj.org.


Reflections on the 8th Annual Legislate THIS!

On February 19, 2015, SPARK Reproductive Justice Now gathered for our 8th Annual Legislate THIS! – A day of action and lobbying at the Georgia Capitol. Under the theme “From the Grassroots, to the Gold Dome,” community members, organizational leaders, activists, and allies joined together to raise our collective voices in solidarity and brought our fight for reproductive justice and proactive policy that centers the needs of our communities – Black Women, Queer & Trans Youth of Color, and Young Mothers – to the Capitol. Watch as SPARK leaders and lobby participants reflect on their experiences and speak on the importance and power of this event!

Closing The Gap

On this National Youth Enrollment Day, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW remains committed to uplifting the voices and experiences of LGBTQ youth of color. During the 2014 FYRE Media Justice Camp, 10 youth of color came together from three Southern states to develop short films and blogs that touched on various issues important to them as Queer and Trans youth of color living in the South. One group chose to use their voices to address the coverage gap.

Georgia has the fifth largest population of uninsured people in this country. And according to Young Invincibles, “up to 44 percent of the approximately 481,000 Georgians who fall in the coverage gap are young adults aged 18 to 34.3 The proportion of young adults in Georgia’s coverage gap is greater than the proportion in other non-expansion states, such as Texas (38 percent), Virginia (38 percent), and Florida (36 percent).”

It is important that the voices of queer and trans youth of color are heard in this fight for healthcare access.  Please listen, share the stories of these amazing young leaders, and join us on February 19th, 2015 for our annual statewide day of action and lobby event, Legislate This! We will hear from key leaders about pertinent public policy and social justice issues, rally with other Georgians, and educate our policymakers at the Capitol about reproductive justice.

Remember Trans Power. Fight for Trans Lives!

Today, Thursday, November 20th, marks the National Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) dedicated to honoring and lifting up the names of those members of the trans community whose lives have been taken due to racist, sexist, transphobic, and tramsmisognyst violence.

As a member of Strong Families, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW is lifting up trans women of color as living and powerful members of our families, communities and movements and reaffirming our commitment to fostering a Southern RJ movement grounded in the beliefs that individuals and communities should have the resources and power to make sustainable and liberatory decisions about their bodies, genders, sexualities, and lives.

SF Remember Trans Power BazantWe share this original art by Micah Bazant with you as one way to lift up the power and resiliency of trans women of color. Micah says about the piece:

“I created this piece with input from the TransJustice group at Audre Lorde Project. We wanted an image that continues to reframe TDOR as a time to honor the living as well as the dead, keeps pushing LGBTQ communities to center trans women of color, and draws attention to the criminalization of trans women of color by the police. We also wanted to celebrate love and support between trans feminine people of color of different generations and gender expressions.”

Please continue to share this image with your families, friends, and colleagues using the hashtag #fightfortranslives and let us all continue to honor the fallen and fight like hell for the living.

Yours in community struggle,

SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW

Atlanta TDOR Events

Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil “It’s Time…”
Event Link

Thursday, November 20
6:30pm – 10:00pm
Phillip Rush Center Annex Bldg.
1530 Dekalb Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), people who identify as transgender were 28% more likely to experience physical violence than those whom are not Trans identified.

Keynote Speaker: Reverend Maressa Pendermon
Unity Fellowship Church Movement (Atlanta)
Event Sponsors: Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal
Media Sponsor: Alternative Perspectives Radio Host Betty Couvertier

Trans* Day of Resilience
Event Link

Black Is Blue FilmFriday, November 21
6:00pm – 10:00pm
Phillip Rush Center Annex Bldg.
1530 Dekalb Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

It is so important that we honor our trancestors, and especially those whose lives were taken in violence. It is also ever important that we remember how resilient we are and take a moment to reflect and celebrate. Please join Lambda Legal the day after Atlanta’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, for a Trans* Day of Resilience!

  • Happy/healthy hour – (drinks and hors d’ouevres)
  • Art exhibit
  • Film screening
  • Panel Discussion
  • Performances

First ATL screening of “Black is Blue” with lead actor, Kingston Faraday there for a question/answer following the film. Check out the trailer: http://vimeo.com/105449883

Georgia Gives Day: Support Southern Queer & Trans Youth!

Dear SPARK Family, Friends, Allies & Supporters:

GA Gives DayOn Thursday, November 13th, SPARK will participate in Georgia Gives Day and join hundreds of organizations from across the State of Georgia in mobilizing for the fiscal sustainability of our work for social change in the South.

According to Out In The South – Part Two, a survey assessing the LGBTQ community resources in 14 Southern States (2014), only 3% of LGBTQ funding is distributed to LGBTQ organizations in the South. Of the 76 LGBTQ organizations in the South, about 50% have only one or no full time staff and 55% have budgets of less than $250,000. Strong work is being done in the South with minimal resources by SPARK and others. In order to thrive, we need your help!

FMJC '14 CampersBased in Georgia, SPARK recognizes how essential it is to invest in the leadership and voices of women of color, young parents, and LGBTQQ youth of color in the fight for reproductive justice. Your financial support allows us to ensure that these voices – the ones most impacted by reproductive injustices – can bring their deep understanding of the political conditions of the South to our movements and work. Georgia Gives Day is your opportunity to demonstrate the power of prioritizing Southern leadership in Southern movements!

SPARK seeks to raise funds in our first Georgia Gives Day campaign to offset the expense of our 2nd IGNITE Queer and Trans Youth of Color Convening (IGNITE). This gathering is fully funded by SPARK for queer and trans youth of color ages 18 – 25 who live in the Southern region. IGNITE will provide an opportunity for LGBTQ youth of color from across the region to engage in dialogue, political education, skill shares, networking, and to begin to organize state level action plans on the issues that most impact their lives. Leaders attending this convening will be able to build unity with other queer and trans youth of color throughout the South while deepening their leadership skills and further preparing them to take action in their local communities!

How Can You Help?

Stand with us on Thursday, November 13th, 2014 and let’s demonstrate the power of Southern giving!

Women of Color Amplify Their Voices in the 2014 Midterm Elections!

Metropolitan areas across Georgia made impressive strides in progressive voter engagement and turnout; Georgia is headed in the right direction.

SPARK Canvassing TeamA heartfelt thanks to the staff of SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW and our enthusiastic canvassing team for your dedication and diligence to our integrated voter engagement work for the 2014 midterm elections.

Progressive voters in Atlanta, the State of Georgia, and across the nation may have lost important Gubernatorial and US Senate races, but we won locally and on the issues!

Latin, African American, and Asian women are an increasingly large voting block within Georgia and the United States. Nationally, women tended to vote for progressive candidates this election cycle. Further, a majority of voters in metropolitan cities and counties across Georgia demonstrated support for progressive policies. Progressive lawmakers were able to maintain majority control of important local seats as demonstrated by the results of the Fulton County Commission race.

Initial data also shows that women of color were particularly supportive of social issues, including reproductive justice and LGBTQI rights this election cycle. Issues like minimum wage and paid leave were won in several states, while personhood was soundly defeated in others. Women of color understand and experience the intersectionality between poverty, race, gender, and access to health care – and brilliantly bring this framework to the polls.

While there is still much work to be done, be encouraged. Georgia is headed in the right direction.

Ms. Benètta M. Standly, MPA
Interim Executive Director
SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW

Advance Voting Ends TODAY!

As October ends, so does Early Voting!

SPARK CanvassersSPARK has been hard at work throughout October informing our communities of when and where to vote. Today is no different!

You can still vote early at ANY early voting location in YOUR county. To find your advance voting location, visit “My Voter Page” or check out the Advance Voting Information list on the Secretary of State’s website.

Your voice and vote matter! If you have already voted, share your voting experience with us by using the hashtag #SPARKTHEVOTE on Facebook and Twitter.

Please share this reminder with your friends, families, and networks. Our voices are stronger united.